Some parents choose to keep the gender of their baby hidden from everyone—including themselves—by giving a trusted friend a sealed envelope containing ultrasound results. Armed with the secret results, the friend can create a gender-revealing cake that will keep everyone guessing until the big reveal moment. But it’s also perfectly okay if you’d prefer to learn the news, privately, in advance. You can still use the party as a fun way to announce the baby’s gender to everyone who is eager to welcome him or her. Here’s how!

Team boy or team girl?

It’s fun to get guests into the spirit of things right away with an invitation that asks them to dress in pink or blue, based on their prediction of the baby’s gender. Team Boy and Team Girl guests will be able to enjoy a friendly rivalry—and plenty of spirited conversation—to get the event off to a high-energy start. Keep the team spirit going with accessories like pink or blue buttons, necklaces, leis and temporary tattoos.

Everyone gets a vote

Set out a basket or jar near slips of paper and pens and solicit suggestions for the best or craziest baby names. Or display a poster-board calendar of the weeks before and after the due date and ask guests to contribute their best guess to a “baby pool” on the exact date and time of the birth.

The big reveal—say it with cake

Cutting a cake to reveal a blue or pink interior has become the traditional way to reveal the gender. Gather everyone around, cameras focused, and make the first slice that will show the world if Team Boy or Team Girl will be adding another member in a few months. Here’s a tasty twist to the traditional blue or pink frosting for the cake’s interior using candy-coated chocolate candies or sprinkles.

Other reveal ideas

There are plenty of other fun ways to reveal the gender at your party—or to continue the celebration after you’ve cut the cake. If your party is outdoors, consider cracking open a piñata filled with colored pink or blue confetti. Or fill a box or storage tub with helium balloons of the appropriate hue, and pull back the lid for a big-effect announcement.

To get everyone in the act, give each guest a covered spray can of silly string (use double-sided tape to affix opaque paper to the can so they don’t see the color). At the count of three, everyone can start shooting the string and celebrating the news.

For a group-focused reveal activity with a hint of lotto fun, consider making your own scratch-off cards with silver paint, liquid dish soap and laminate paper (or order them from an online stationery supplier). Hand out cards, pass out coins and let the guests do the revealing for themselves.